The present invention relates generally to display units intended to provide visual information such as, for example, advertising information at a point of sale.
Generally, display units of this type consist of a front face, carrying the visual information, intended to be placed on the ground. This front face can be held in a vertical position by means of a stand-type device formed by a wall held perpendicularly to the front face so that the display unit rests on the ground by means of at least three bearing points.
A cardboard display unit has already been proposed, for example in document FR-A-2,680,030, which is in the form of a vertical prism with concave or curved faces. It includes a front panel shaped by means of two rear sections braced at their free ends and adhesively bonded, respectively, to the borders of the front panel at the lateral edges. The sections are braced and locked by means of a snap-fit system. The front panel may comprise several parts which are folded on one another in order to prevent damage to the information provided on the visible face of the front panel.
A display unit of this type is relatively bulky and cannot be transported easily, and the manipulations required to arrange it in a use position or to fold it are not simple.
A display unit formed from a structure which can be folded flat and includes a vertical prismatic column and panels fixed on one face of this column is also known from document FR-A-2,650,907. The column includes three walls, two lateral walls being mounted pivotally about a fold line which is longitudinal with respect to a central wall which supports the panels. The two lateral walls are joined together by at least one elastic return means which stresses them towards each other. Their free longitudinal edge has a profile such that the two walls are able to abut against each other in the assembled position of the structure through the stress of the elastic means, projecting portions of one engaging in cutouts in the other, and vice versa.
This display unit has the same drawbacks as the previous display unit, namely it is fairly bulky and is complicated to manipulate. Moreover, manufacture of these display units requires adhesive bonding stages which lengthen the manufacturing process and which have a detrimental effect on the cost price of display units of this type. Furthermore, this display unit requires different materials and suitable packaging.
The present invention arises from this context and its object is to propose a display unit which can be folded so that it can be manipulated easily, is simple to use, i.e. to place in the use position and to fold, and which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the display unit according to the invention sets itself up automatically without an additional mechanism.
To this end, the subject of the present invention is a display unit including at least one front face forming a support for visual information and, when the display unit is in the use position, a structure for supporting the front face in the vertical position, it being possible to fold this structure flat, and including elastic return means, the front face being formed by at least two poster elements separated by a fold line.
According to the invention, the support structure consists of assembly elements in a single piece without adhesive bonding with the front face on either side of this front face, the assembly elements attaching to one side of the front face being stressed, when the display unit is in the use position, so as to abut on the assembly elements attaching to the other side of the front face via elastic return means.
According to one characteristic of the invention, the assembly elements are separated from the front face by a fold line and include means for attaching the elastic return means.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the assembly elements include at least one flap attaching to one side of the front face and of which a free edge abuts, when the display unit is in the use position, inside the fold formed between a tab attaching to the other side of the front face and this front face.
Preferably, the distance between the fold separating the flap from the front face and the free edge of this flap is shorter than the width of the front face.
It will be possible to see that at least one opening is made in the front face and/or in the support structure to receive a foot increasing the surface of the polygon for supporting the display unit.
According to another embodiment, the display unit includes two front faces, and the assembly elements include at least one flap attaching to each of the sides of each front face and of which a free edge abuts, when the display unit is in the use position, against the free edge of a flap attaching to the other side of the front face, a flap of a front face being juxtaposed with a flap of the other front face.
Preferably, the distance between the fold separating the flap from the front face and the free edge of this flap is shorter than half the width of the front face.
Provision may advantageously be made for the flap to attach, via its center to the front face, grooves being made between the flap and the front face on either side of the center of the flap, the elastic return means being received in these grooves and forming a loop between the flaps attaching on either side of the front face.
A display unit of this type may be produced, for example, from strong paper, cardboard or plastic.